Nz maori

[Stargazer]

Māori All Blacks team to play Harlequins:

1 Kane Hames, Ta$man (Ngai Tuhoe / Ngati Porou)
2 Ash Dixon (Capt), Hawkes Bay (Ngati Tahinga)
3 Ben May, Hawkes Bay (Ngati Maniapoto / Tainui)
4 Leighton Price, Taranaki (Waikato / Ngati Maniapoto)
5 Tom Franklin, Otago (Ngati Maniapoto)
6 Whetu Douglas, Waikato (Ngati Porou / Ngati Whakaue)
7 Shane Christie, Ta$man (Te Ati Haunui a Paparangi / Ngati Kurawhatia)
8 Akira Ioane, Auckland (Ngapuhi / Te Whanau a Apanui)
9 Brad Weber, Hawkes Bay (Ngati Porou)
10 Ihaia West, Hawkes Bay (Ngati Kahungunu / Ngati Porou)
11 Sean Wainui, Taranaki (Ngai Tuhoe/Te aitanga a Mahaki/Nga Arikikaiputahi/ Ngati Porou)
12 Tim Bateman, Canterbury (Ngai Tahu) / Jason Emery, Manawatu (Ngati Haua / Ngati Maniapoto)
13 Matt Proctor, Wellington (Ngapuhi / Ngaiterangi)
14 Ambrose Curtis, Manawatu (Ngai Te Rangi)
15 James Lowe, Ta$man (Ngapuhi / Ngai Te Rangi)

Reserves
16 Joe Royal, Bay Of Plenty (Te Arawa / Ngati Whatua o arakei / Ngapuhi)
17 Chris Eves, Manawatu (Waikato / Tainui)
18 Marcel Renata, Auckland (Ngati Whanaunga / Te Aupouri)
19 Jacob Skeen, Waikato (Ngapuhi)
20 Reed Prinsep, Canterbury (Te Rarawa)
21 Billy Guyton, Ta$man (Ngapuhi / Ngati Pikiao / Ngati Raukawa)
22 Otere Black, Manawatu (Ngai Tuhoe/Te Whanau-a-Apanui/Ngati Tawharetoa)
23 Jason Emery, Manawatu (Ngati Haua / Ngati Maniapoto) / Marty McKenzie Taranaki (Ngati Tawharetoa / Ngati Tahinga)

So Bateman bracketed with Emery, and on the bench Emery bracketed with McKenzie.

http://allblacks.com/News/30119/maori-all-blacks-named-for-tour-closing-match-against-harlequins

[Stargazer]

Harlequins team to play the Māori All Blacks

1 Dan Murphy
2 Joe Gray
3 Adam Jones (C)
4 Mark Reddish
5 Stan South
6 Dan Leo (Guest)
7 Archie White
8 George Naoupu
9 Charlie Mulchrone
10 Tim Swiel
11 Jonas Mikalcius
12 Henry Cheeseman
13 Gabriel Ibitoye
14 Sam Aspland-Robinson
15 Ruaridh Jackson

Reserves
16 Charlie Piper
17 Owen Evans
18 Matt Shields
19 Bill Harding (Guest)
20 Alex Bradley (Guest)
21 Luc Jones
22 Luke Peters (Guest)
23 Alofa Alofa

http://www.quins.co.uk/news/harlequins-team-to-play-the-maori-all-blacks/

[ACT Crusader]

The Maoris should destroy that Munster Quins team shorn of its Irish internationals. The Munster Quins halves are a woeful combination. Pity Munster Quins aren't remotely at full strength.

Former Cantab George Naoupu getting a run. Didn't know he had moved to Quins. He was a pretty good player for Connacht

[Stargazer]

@ACT-Crusader Didn't know it either until I read this about two weeks ago: http://www.quins.co.uk/news/harlequins-sign-former-connacht-number-8-george-naoupu/

Also note that Mark Reddish and Alofa Alofa are in the line-up and also moved to the Quins only this season.

It's a pity Nick Evans isn't playing, and that Winston Stanley and Tim Visser aren't available.

[Stargazer]

Livestream available via Harlequins:

[Milk]

NZ Maori are putting on a bit of clinic for the Quins at the moment. 3-26 at 30 minutes.

Over a 15 minute period the Harlequins missed way too many first up tackles. Was pretty close up until then.

[Stargazer]

Half time: Harlequins 3 - 26 Maori All Blacks

[Stargazer]

This ref was determined to award the try to the Quins. The grounding was short of the line, you couldn't see a grounding on or over the line after that. You could also hear that the TMO didn't really agree, but was afraid to disagree with the ref. Same with penalties. Terrible officiating. It's good the Maori ABs are so far ahead of the Quins, so it can't hurt us.

[KiwiMurph]

Akira Ioane named man of the match.

[Stargazer]

Maori ABs win 26-10.

[Bovidae]

A poor 2nd half.

Looking ahead to the Lions game next year, I hope the Maori will be able to use as many ABs as possible in that fixture to be competitive - like 2005. The complication is that the game is only 1 week before the 1st test so the ABs will probably be in camp, and the Chiefs play the Lions 3 days later. Hopefully the likes of Taylor, Dixon, Squire, TKB, Cruden, Ioane, DMac are involved. I doubt Coles, A Smith/TJP and Dagg will be. Throw in Messam and Ngatai as well.

Based on these 3 games the Maori have no depth in the front row, as the reserve props and hookers were a huge step down in quality. There is also minimal depth at lock and in the midfield. If Guyton, Marty McKenzie, Bateman and Curtis are in the 23 the Maori are no chance.